SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
FIND US ON:
Bookmans News
Centuries before William the Conqueror there was King Author and the Knights who say Ni. Revive those good times this weekend at The Loft Cinema in Tucson as they present Bookmans Cult Classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail at 10 p.m. on Friday, September 9 and Saturday, September 10.
Bookmans Flagstaff has renewed our super popular MIC program for the 2011-2012 school year. Bookmans pays beloved local musician Chuck Cheesman to volunteer his music and movement education classes to the Head Start classrooms of Flagstaff. Chuck also plays every first Saturday of the month at 10 a.m. in the Flagstaff Cafe free to the public, and this month he’ll bring his new kids’ music CD. Don’t miss Chuck on September 3 at 10 a.m.
If you really want to join a party, we’ll be hosting a special MIC Jamboree on October 1 at 10 a.m. for all the MIC classroom kids and anyone else who’d like to attend. This will be a special event with Chuck playing his new music, plus snacks, cupcakes, balloon sculpting, face-painting and more!
Educators are tops in our books. Without putting too fine a Matt Damon point on it, we love how teachers are patient, persistent and present with our kids with more intangible benefits than cash pay. Linda Hilbert-Vazquez is one such ordinary yet amazing person who is pushing forward a modern Jeffersonian ideal. She teaches at Mansfeld Middle School in Tucson Unified School District and is also the focus of our first Project Educate profile series.
* by local nerd, artist, occasional writer and full-time used book peddler Rafael Casillas Jr.
I could start this review with one of two quotes. One would set a serious tone for the review and the other... well, the other quote just makes you go, "Wha?"
I'll go with both.
"I am sustained by the certainty that life has meaning... as does death."
"Nothing is worse than being alone on the evening of the day when one's cow has exploded."
These sentences coexist in Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. That's what makes me love it so much. It's the way that Koontz has ever-so-carefully creafted a balance between the serious and the off-beat. A balance between dread and hope. Between ultimate, horrific evil and simple, sincere good. That's what this book is about.
Let's start with the basics. Odd is a 20 year-old fry cook at a greasy spoon diner in Pico Mundo, CA. Middle-of-nowheresville, man. Thing is, he's happy where he is. In addition to his extraordinary prowess at the griddle, he has great co-workers, friends that are almost like family, a great girlfriend named Stormy and the ghost of Elvis Presley hanging around most of the day.
Wait... Elvis? Wait, wait... ghost of Elvis?
This hilarious Tony Award winning musical about six quirky over-achievers experiencing puberty as they vie for the spelling bee championship of a lifetime is filled with charmingly irreverent, politically incorrect humor. And along the way they learn that winning isn't everything and losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Spelling Bee is one of the funniest shows in Broadway history.
Each year the American Library Association (ALA) shares a list of the previous year's most commonly banned and challenged books. The ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom receives reports from libraries, schools and the media on attempts to ban books across the country and we can't wait to read them.
One year ago in September Bookmans Mesa debuted a new monthly event, Banned Book Club. Over the last year we read banned/challenged classics such as 1984, Brave New World, The Great Gatsby and To Kill A Mockingbird.
What do Lady Gaga, Super Mario and Mark Twain have in common? Take a look at this video, part of our annual fight censorship campaign, to find out.
Bookmans actively fights censorship and promotes freedom of expression at every opportunity. We believe people have the right to read, view and listen to what they want. Learn more about Bookmans stance against censorship.
Books are not sacred to those who crease the spine, scratch marginalia on pages or suds up a chapter or two as they read in the tub*. Owners of books consumed in this way lend their collection to friends with the same gusto. In contrast some owners will not lay their book face down while they run get a snack. Their books are tightly ordered on shelves shrine-like with nameplates on the inside. These folks give witness to the love of books, which they want to share too. Either type of reader might enjoy e-readers but their ability to share an e-book they love is restricted in ways that traditional books are not.
This image belongs to the Wall Street Journal, which Bookmans considers a fairly reputable source for news.
Now that a gentle fall chill has entered the mountain air, Flagstaff is gearing up for Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass and Acoustic Music Festival made possible by Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music and sponsored by a host of live music-loving businesses including your friendly neighborhood Bookmans.
MIC instructor Chuck Cheesman, little Max and Book Man do some Pickin'.
Pickin’ in the Pines, by far the largest live music event in Northern Arizona, runs September 16, 17 and 18 (yes, this weekend!). You can choose whether to get down for a day or come up and stay with a weekend pass. Don’t miss the fun kids’ events, sing-alongs and workshops including vocal workshops, songwriting circles and more.
School is back in session, which means that all the hectic day-to-day activities are in full swing. All the more reason to take a break and try something new and fun by participating in the September ’11 Phoenix Edition of the Bookmans Treasure Hunt: The Search for Local Business Booty. In August local shop Souvia Tea used their super sneaky hideout on 7th Street to keep the treasure buried until the lucky hunters could get to it.
At some point each of us has wondered if our mother was a Sumatran rat-monkey but Lionel knows his mother is. You can see her on the rampage this weekend at The Loft Cinema in Tucson as they present Bookmans Cult Classic Dead Alive at 10 p.m. on Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17.
Season 9 has begun for the Tucson Roller Derby and the first bout of the season is Saturday at the Bookmans Event Center (5120 S. Julian Dr.). You'll have plenty of time to get to the girl-on-girl action because the doors open at 5 p.m. and the first game is at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door and can be purchased at any Bookmans location. These fierce fashionistas like to play rough but always play safe. These bouts are always family friendly; admission is free for children 10 and under with purchase of an adult ticket.
This Ticket Tuesday is brought to you by Arizona Theater Company's Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of The Suicide Club. The show runs from now until October 8 at The Temple of Music and Art in Downtown Tucson. Prepare yourself for a show filled with intrigue, twists and chills. The London-based duo of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are attempting to discover the story that lies behind the impassive facade of a windowless house where some of Europe's most powerful men gather to play a game. The game is muder and this is The Suicide Club.
Rolling into action at The Screening Room this Friday, September 16 through Saturday, September 24 is the Arizona Underground Film Festival. In its fourth consecutive year AZUFF is back and bigger than ever with a schedule of films guaranteed to delight and shock even the most jaded and hardened film aficionados! Tickets for each film are only $7 and a Festival Pass is only $60 (limited to only a 100). Visit the AZUFF website for more information on the daily run of events and the entire festival schedule or to purchase tickets and festival passes.
Get ready to re-live your favorite Serenity moments on the big screen with the Sixth Annual Can’t Stop the Serenity fundraisers hosted by The Arizona Browncoats. Every year the local fan-based non-profit organization The Arizona Browncoats hold a fundraiser to benefit Joss Whedon’s (Creator of Firefly and Serenity) favorite charity Equality Now as well as one local charity. This year both Phoenix and Tucson have chosen Kids Need To Read as the local beneficiary. We are lucky to have two screenings: in Mesa at The Royale and Tucson at The Fox Theater.
Do you dream that you live in London, attend Hogwarts, have two best friends to go on wild adventures with and fill up on Butter Beer every night before bed? We do! Bookmans Phoenix is turning this Muggle world upside with a Hogwarts House Party from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17 that will have you dusting off your cloaks, sharpening your quill and flying in on your new broom.
All aboard the Storybook Express! Bookmans is proud to invite you to take a thrilling adventure through the rich lands of the Agave Library at 23550 N. 36th Ave. in Phoenix on September 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. We've packed this trip with activities to keep the entire family moving full steam ahead into one of the newer libraries in the valley.
What’s better than using your smarts to find free stuff? Each month in each market Bookmans partners with a local business where we hide a whole treasure trove of goodies for those who can guess their location. So far we hid great stuff at Fizz Bath Shop, Babies-to-Kids, Stage Left Subshop and Babbitt’s Back Country Outfitters, to name a few. Get your Sherlock Holmes hat on, grab sleuthing supplies, puff that pipe and get ready to solve this month’s mystery!
Photo credit: altankoman at Morgue File.
It's time to party Bookmans style this weekend at Bookmans Ina and Bookmans Grant. You asked for an easy, family-friendly night that won't blow your budget and we are happy to oblige. This weekend take advantage of the nice weather and our outdoor assets as we are putting on the Ritz for cheap.
DEVASTATION offers a host of Interactive Entertainment and related programming including professional-level video game tournaments, casual gaming areas, cosplay and costuming events, non-gaming and athletic competitions, exclusive product announcements and public demonstrations, artist and press tables, guest appearances, community events, convention and exhibitor displays, charity fundraisers and the definitive eSports Live Broadcast in the world.
Some consider Poetry the ultimate expression of language. From epic poems to freestyle reflections, most poets are seeking a way to share their emotions or ideas. At Bookmans Mesa we are excited to start our new monthly series: Voices of Youth Poetry Slam! Join us the first Saturday of every month at 1 p.m. starting October 1 in the Mesa Café. No experience necessary; we are looking for youth 13 and up who are looking for an opportunity to share their poetry, compete in a slam and learn more about performance poetry.
We are fortunate to partner with Anthology, Inc. on our new adventure. Anthology is a 501 (c)(3) Literary Nonprofit dedicated to promoting performance poetry and associated literary arts in the greater Phoenix community by providing opportunities for artists to perform their work and by making spokenword arts accessible to a diverse audience.
Visit Bookmans Flagstaff by this Thursday for a chance to win two front row tickets and a personal backstage pass to meet the blues great B.B. King! B.B. King, the 86-year-old blues musician in the Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has countless other awards and honors to his credit, comes to Flagstaff this Sunday October 3. We have a special raffle box in the Flagstaff store that provides you and one guest a chance to win front row seats and a personal visit with this living legend. If you want to go and don't want to take any chances buy your tickets online!
The weather might be cooling, but our treasure hunt is heating up and as always Bookmans continues to offer prizes and fun with our September Treasure Hunt in Tucson. We're giving away a prize package worth $130 but there is some work involved. Put all your new school supplies to good use but beware that only an adventurous attitude and local know how will land you this sweet treasure.
Supporting local businesses strengthens our local economy and a strong economy means a stronger community. As part of our commitment to local businesses and the community, Bookmans Entertainment Exchange is a member of Local First Arizona. Their ShiftAZ campaign encouraging shopping at local businesses has inspired us to use our noggins, crank up our creativity and find a fun way to support other companies while bringing you added value via our Bookmans Treasure Hunt: The Search for Local Business Booty in Tucson. All aboard me mateys because we have set sail for adventure and prizes that even a scallywag wouldn’t hawk.
"You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it. You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes. You're paralyzed!" were the iconic words of the pop culture icon Michael Jackson and the smash hit song Thriller. Visitors to The Slaughter House know the truth of those immortal words. This year's heart-pounding production of The Slaughter House is underway and will be open to the public starting Friday, September 30. They will be open Thursday through Sunday throughout October, including Halloween night. Doors open at 7 p.m. and VIP tickets are available. Tucson Screamers’ haunts have been voted the Scariest Haunted House in Tucson for the past three years and this non-profit organization has raised over $40,000 in the past four years. Until you go, you’ll never know what evil lurks behind the walls of The SlaughterHouse.
The Internet has been good to Rebecca Black but how good has it been to other people whose private lives turn public and the dark moments they live in their own homes shoot out electronically to the desks of millions of others? This Ticket Tuesday giveaway Bookmans scored a pair of passes for you to the internationally recognized film Shut Up, Little Man showing at The Loft Cinema in Tucson starting Friday, September 30. This official selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival is a documentary based on the rantings of the ultimate odd couple living together in San Francisco. This audio collection began in 1987 and has been declared a phenomenon and the most important audio recording released in the nineties. This pop culture sensation went on to inspire comic artworks, stage plays and music.
Tribeca Film provided us this exclusive interview with the director of this critically acclaimed documentary Matthew Bate.
* by guest writer Tamara McKinney, Program and Communications Manager, Reading Seed Children's Literacy Program
Five literacy organizations took a bold step and merged to become one strong organization dedicated to promoting a culture of literacy and creative expression throughout our community. When the Literacy for Life Coalition, Literacy Volunteers of Tucson, Reach Out and Read Southern Arizona, Reading Seed and Stories That Soar! joined united in the belief that by working together we can create the kind of community in which we all want to live. Please join us from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 1 for our for the 1st Annual Rally for Literacy when we unveil our new name and logo!
We're shaking things up this year with our 2012 Bookmans School Challenge. No longer the Reading Challenge, the name change is the least of what we have in store. New and expanded conditions include:
* Two additional schools will receive awards as we give away a total of $21,000 in cash!
* High schools, middle schools, junior highs and elementary schools -- all school configurations are encouraged to apply!
* Online applications accepted starting October 1, 2011.
One school will still receive $15,000 and the challenge is still open to public and charter schools in Arizona and proximate to our stores in Flagstaff, Mesa, Phoenix and Tucson.
Complete our online application today [EDIT: The 2012 Bookmans School Challenge Application has been closed] or read on for additional details.
Twitter Updates
Archive
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- August 2008
- May 2007
- April 2007